Urkati
Urkati are the primary race of the region of space known as Rikkari Space, which includes the Rikkari Nebula. 'Urkati' is the plural form, 'Urkat' is the singular. Biology Average Height: 1.5 - 1.7 meters Average Weight: 40 - 65 kilograms Average Lifespan: Approximately 80-150 years, depending on medical care. Population: Approximately 500 Million 'Homeworld:'Ymo The Urkati are similar in physical type as several other races in the known galaxy, and have particular traits reminiscent of Terran canines, particularly the fox sub-type. An Urkat is bipedal in nature and has largely lost the ability to run effectively on all four limbs. An Urkat is mostly covered in thin pelt of fur except for a few common regions, such as the face and palms. The color tends to range from light brown to a dark reddish. Most male Urkat still grow fir on their muzzle, which culturally is usually shaved off. Urkati have Vibrissa on their muzzle and cheek, usually ten total. The Urkati pinnae have the ability to change direction independently of each other, and the Urkat ear can hear sounds up to 65 KiloHertz. Urkati also have an excellent sense of smell. The most interesting and distinctive feature of the Urkati is their tail, or rather tails. Urkati have two bushy tails. The evolutionary reason for the two tails is not fully understood. Urkati have two sexes—male and female and mate accordingly. Childbearing takes about eight months on average. Children are almost always born as twins, accounting for about ninety-five percent of births. Almost all of these twin births are Dizygotic (fraternal) with the majority of those being male-female pairings. Identical twins are possible and have a higher occurrence rate than compared to Humans. About three percent of litters are single births or more than two. Of these, two percent is single birth children, and then remainder is three children or even two sets of twins. Due to cultural obsessions with duality, single children or the third child are poorly regarded, viewed as developing negative personality traits. Because of the high rate of children per pregnancy, and especially since developing modern birth control methods, Urkati women tend to have only one to two childbirths (two to four children) per lifetime. This has meant that the birthrate of the race has been relatively low for several centuries With modern science the average lifespan of an Urkat is about 120 years. However, due to the collapse of the Rikkari Empire, the current lifespan is unknown but some estimates now put it at about 80 years. Demographics Currently, demographic information is very difficult to assess accurately. Prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, central government figures put the Urkati population at just under ten billion. Following the pandemic, estimates put the surviving population at about five-hundred million. In other words, the pandemic directly or indirectly resulted in the death of about ninety-five percent of the entire Urkat race. The majority of Urkati, estimated at about 350 million, live in the Cavaga system, the most habitable system in the Rikkari Outlands. About fifty million live in other systems in the Outland sectors; fifty million are estimate to still remain in the Rikkari home sectors; and another fifty million is believed to reside officially or unofficially in any of the three major neighboring powers--the Malan Coalition, the Stilor Empire, or the UN. Without medical treatment (and disregarding infant mortality), Urakti have a natural life span of about 60 years.. Modern technology, with the advent of anti-aging treatments, pushed lifespans upwards to about 150 years. It was believed that there were still advances to be made and Urkat life could be further extended out. However, the collapse of the Empire lead to the loss of the ability of most sophisticated medical treatments and drug production. Anti-aging treatment or drugs are highly valuable on the open market and only a few elite Urkati have access to treatments on a consistent basis to gain the maximum benefit. Culture Urkat Clan Structure Urkat culture is dominated by a clan system. Urkat clans define the relationships between Urkati both in their clans and between clans. A clan is a common bond, but does not necessarily reflect blood relations. Clans can be as few as one Urkat or have millions of members. Within a larger clan there can be multiple groups of distinct blood families, usually as part of a smaller sub-clans. For Urkati, clans are a proximate replacement for the concept of nations--politics, governance, and society are almost always framed within the context of the clan. Urkat clans are highly stratified and structured organizations. Larger lclans have sub-clans of multiple ranks and in extreme cases this can reach more than ten levels. The more clan names, or ranks, an Urkat has the lower ranked in the clan. The only way to move up in rank is to be expelled from a clan. An Urkat who is of the highest level is one who was born of the original clan family is typically referred to as "true blood." True bloods sit at the top of the hierarchy in a clan. They are easily identifiable by having only one clan name. For lower tiered clan members the naming convention is: Sub-clans can be created in two distinct ways. The first is by adoption. A clan can adopt an individual Urkat that the clan elders desire to have join or reward for some reason. Since adopting an Urkat usually means that the adoptee is leaving his original clan, the two clans will generally negotiate a price the adopting clan will pay the losing clan. However, this is not necessary and "hostile" adoptions can be done, although this often leads to a worsening of relations between the clans. Nevertheless hostile adoptions are a substantial minority of all adoptions. When an Urkat is adopted, he keeps his clan name and sub-clan names. However, at the end his new clan name is added, reflecting his current clan (but also, he now moves down in rank). Adoption is quite common in Urkati culture and the result is a culture of fluid clan associations. For larger clans, adoption is a political tool to take successful or important Urkati and boost the clans power and prestige. The second method by clan absorption. Absorption occurs when one clan absorbs another clan entirely, taking all members of the absorbed clan within in it. The mechanics for name change applies to all clan members. The reasons for absorption can very but generally involves a large clan taking on small clans. The absorption is always consensual and there often is a celebration of the clan marriage. Clan Leadership In line with Urkati's conceptions of nature and duality, clans are headed by a patriarch and matriarch. The male and female leaders are in principle completely equal to each other. However, clan responsibilities are steadfastly divided with each having particular responsibilities for the clan. Clan leaders are always true blood members of the clan. If for some reason a clan cannot fill one of the positions with a true blood, the clan will quickly look to be absorbed by another. Means of succession for clan leaders can very slightly from clan to clan but usually is based on the current leader selecting his or her successor. The Patriarch is responsible for most of the day-to-day managing of the clan's affairs and business, including the clan's finances and general affairs with other clans. The Patriarch has the sole responsibility of punishing clan lessors. The Matriarch is responsible for maintaining the clan's blood lineage history. The history is often built up over decades or hundreds of years and can fill a small library. The clan's records are contained with the clan's shrine. The shrine is held to the level of a holy place for clan members and is guarded jealously, lest someone try to destroy or tamper with the records. The Matriarch checks the records to ensure all marriages are acceptable and intra-clan marriages do not result in inbreeding (marriages themselves need approval of both clan leaders). The matriarch oversees child birth and infant rearing and has an overall responsibility for managing the education of the clan's young. Finally, the matriarch has the exclusive power of expulsion. Marriage and Children Expulsion Category:Race